Zhukov took Rokossovsky and came to the outside of Stalin's office. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 Seeing the two of them enter the door, Bosk Klebeshev hurriedly got up from the table, kept an upright posture and said to Zhukov: "Comrade Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Comrade Stalin is waiting for you inside. ”

Zhukov nodded, turned and walked towards Stalin's office in the middle of the room. Rokossovsky was a little curious about what Pos Krebeshev had just called Zhukov, and hurriedly asked in a low voice: "Comrade General, how did I hear Pos Klebeshev call you deputy commander just now?" What the hell is going on? ”

"I was just appointed deputy commander two days ago." After briefly explaining to Rokossovsky, Zhukov casually pushed open the door, shook his head and said: "Go in!" ”

The two walked into the conference room, and Stalin, who was standing in front of the map, turned around, nodded at the two, and said lightly: "You are here." Come to me! ”

Rokossovsky walked to the map and saw that the location of Stalingrad was already marked with dense blue arrows. As a commander, he could see at a glance that these represented the direction of the German offensive, and judging by the map markings, Stalingrad was already in danger.

After Stalin and other Rokossovsky looked away from the map, he immediately said to him: "Comrade Rokossovsky, in view of the serious situation in the Stalingrad region, our original campaign has been cancelled and all the troops that were originally intended to be used in this campaign have been sent to Stalingrad. You should go there right away by plane and command the Stalingrad Front. ”

Hearing Stalin say this, Rokossovsky couldn't help but flutter for a moment, and said in his heart, Didn't I let me command the Don Front, how did it become the Stalingrad Front again?

Before he could ask his question, Stalin continued: "You will get other instructions there from my deputy Zhukov, who will fly with you to the vicinity of Stalingrad." Not long ago, I officially appointed him to the post of deputy commander of the Supreme Base Camp. ”

Although Zhukov was the deputy commander-in-chief, Rokossovsky already knew about it when he was outside the door. But when he heard Stalin mention the matter again, he still stretched out his hand to Zhukov and said in a friendly manner: "Comrade General, congratulations on your higher post!" ”

"Thank you!" Zhukov stretched out his hand and shook hands with Rokossovsky, turned his head to look at Stalin and asked, "Is the next instruction given to Rokossovsky those backup plans for us?" ”

"That's right, it's those backup plans." Stalin, with his pipe in his mouth, nodded and said: "To reverse the unfavorable situation in the Stalingrad region, it is necessary to use those plans that have been prepared for a long time." ”

As he walked out of Stalin's office with Zhukov, Rokossovsky felt a sense of loss because his well-thought-out counter-assault plan had been canceled.

Seeing his depressed expression, Zhukov hurriedly asked: "What's the matter, Comrade Rokossovsky, are you still feeling lost because our counter-assault program was canceled?" Seeing that Rokossovsky nodded in affirmation, he added: "As a senior commander, you must adjust your combat plan in a timely manner according to the situation on the battlefield. It is very common for the earliest plan, which feels the most perfect, to be revised or cancelled when the battle begins, which is why we have to prepare several backup plans when drawing up the battle plan. ”

When Rokossovsky heard Zhukov say this, his mood suddenly improved a lot, and he looked at Zhukov and said with emotion: "Comrade Zhukov, I am very relieved that my superiors sent me to the area where the fierce fighting is now taking place, and did not let me return to the area where the fighting has subsided. ”

Zhukov nodded and said to him: "After I finish the task for you later, we will immediately fly to the Stalingrad Front." The counter-assault on the enemy, under the command of General Goldov, has been going on for three days, but has not made the slightest progress. On the contrary, we had two more divisions that were disabled. I'm going with you just to figure out why this is happening. ”

Zhukov's words reminded Rokossovsky of Vatutin, who had returned from the West Bank of the Don River not long ago, and he muttered to himself: "Could it be that Goldov also chose the wrong place and launched the wrong attack on the German army?" However, because this was just his own speculation, he did not say it, but followed Zhukov back to the temporary office of the staff headquarters.

Zhukov took out a document in a briefcase from the filing cabinet, handed it to Rokossovsky, and said: "This is a backup plan for us, which is to prepare for an attack from the perimeter of the besieging enemy after the German army has surrounded Stalingrad, in order to relieve the pressure on the defending troops." ”

Rokossovsky took the papers, looked through them carefully, and found that Zhukov's plan was to prepare for the newly formed troops to attack from the northern part of Stalingrad and fight for the capture and holding of the Don landing grounds. The Germans were forced to move part of their forces northward, thereby reducing the enemy's pressure on the troops in Stalingrad.

After reading the plan, Rokossovsky handed it back to Zhukov and said: "Comrade General, I have finished reading it." I will organize my troops to launch a powerful offensive on the flanks and rear of the German army in the northern part of Stalingrad in accordance with the orders of my superiors, so as to relieve the pressure on the defenders holding on to the city. ”

Zhukov locked the documents back into the filing cabinet, and then said to Rokossovsky: "Since we have finished reading it, let's go, the car is waiting for us downstairs." ”

When the two left the office and walked outside together, Rokossovsky couldn't help but ask: "Comrade General, I don't know what your purpose is for going to the Stalingrad Front this time?" ”

Zhukov looked left and right, and saw that there was no one in sight in the empty corridor except for the two of them, and then he said to Rokossovsky: "The old man is very dissatisfied with Goldov's performance and intends to remove him from his post." I went to the Stalingrad Front this time to make a final investigation. If he is indeed not up to the task, he will not hesitate to remove him and replace him with a more suitable person. ”

More suitable candidates! When Rokossovsky heard this, his heart couldn't help but beat faster, and he thought of Stalin's insistence on putting himself in charge of the affairs of the Don Front and accompanying Zhukov to the Stalingrad Front.